Paul Blumenthal
@paulblumenthal.bsky.social
HuffPost. Reporter covering politics, courts, history and the crisis of democracy.
Tips: Email: paulblumenthal@huffpost.com. Signal: PaulBlumenthal.37
Read me: huffpost.com/paul-blumentha…
Tips: Email: paulblumenthal@huffpost.com. Signal: PaulBlumenthal.37
Read me: huffpost.com/paul-blumentha…
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
Rest in peace to Mike F, one of the all-time greats
December 30, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Rest in peace to Mike F, one of the all-time greats
Maybe even the greatest comedy movie of all time.
watching my favorite christmas movie and what is possibly the great american comedy about class and race
December 24, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Maybe even the greatest comedy movie of all time.
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
THIS is among the most important list of documents the public needs to see.
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
December 24, 2025 at 12:04 AM
THIS is among the most important list of documents the public needs to see.
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
Check out the Kavanaugh FN 4; I think it's pretty clear that the Kavanaugh Stop thing has gotten to him:
December 23, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Check out the Kavanaugh FN 4; I think it's pretty clear that the Kavanaugh Stop thing has gotten to him:
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
NEW: By a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court blocks Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Chicago to assist immigration agents. A majority holds that he likely lacks authority to do so. Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissent. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...
![The Government asked this Court to stay the District Court's order. After the response and reply were filed, JUSTICE BARRETT referred the application to the Court. We directed the parties to file supplemental letter briefs on an issue that the District Court had addressed but the parties' initial briefs had not: the meaning of the term "regular forces" in §12406(3). In its supplemental brief, the Government argues that the term refers to civilian law enforcement officers, such as those employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Federal Protective Service.
Respondents, echoing the District Court, maintain that the term refers to the regular forces of the United States mili-tary.
We conclude that the term "regular forces" in §12406(3) likely refers to the regular forces of the United States mili-tary. This interpretation means that to call the Guard into active federal service under §12406(3), the President must be "unable" with the regular military "to execute the laws of the United States." Because the statute requires an assessment of the military's ability to execute the laws, it likely applies only where the military could legally execute the laws. Such circumstances are exceptional: Under the Posse Comitatus Act, the military is prohibited from "execut[ing] the laws" "except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress."
18 U. S. C. §1385. So before the President can federalize the Guard under §12406(3), he likely must have statutory or constitutional authority to execute the laws with the regular military and must be "unable" with those forces to perform that function.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6h7b2i6ttw3l4t7pvbvxdith/bafkreiftbhzwvn3vgwhqsi7k2paizvdw4t26ailljvovso3chqupnmj364@jpeg)
December 23, 2025 at 8:16 PM
NEW: By a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court blocks Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Chicago to assist immigration agents. A majority holds that he likely lacks authority to do so. Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissent. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
the rise of youtube streamers and Pat McAfee etc etc has revealed a really disturbing truth about American culture:
for a large portion of the US public, mainstream sports broadcast were far too erudite for their tastes
for a large portion of the US public, mainstream sports broadcast were far too erudite for their tastes
December 23, 2025 at 4:23 PM
the rise of youtube streamers and Pat McAfee etc etc has revealed a really disturbing truth about American culture:
for a large portion of the US public, mainstream sports broadcast were far too erudite for their tastes
for a large portion of the US public, mainstream sports broadcast were far too erudite for their tastes
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
Bari Weiss lied in her memo. She said segment didn't report administration's legal justification (it does in the very first sentence) and didn't say how many detainees had been charged with crimes as opposed to just those who were convicted (it does). www.muellershewrote.com/p/watch-the-...
WATCH: The 60 Minutes CECOT Segment
I was sent the CECOT segment anonymously in a group chat.
www.muellershewrote.com
December 23, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Bari Weiss lied in her memo. She said segment didn't report administration's legal justification (it does in the very first sentence) and didn't say how many detainees had been charged with crimes as opposed to just those who were convicted (it does). www.muellershewrote.com/p/watch-the-...
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
Canadian TV network bravely airs dissidents’ report on U.S. abuses after political commissar orders its suppression
Can confirm: Pulled 60 Minutes “Inside CECOT” segment on the El Salvador mega prison housing hundreds of Venezuelan deportees sent by the U.S. is on Global TV’s free app
December 22, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Canadian TV network bravely airs dissidents’ report on U.S. abuses after political commissar orders its suppression
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
Inside CECOT, thanks to @jasonparis.bsky.social
December 22, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Inside CECOT, thanks to @jasonparis.bsky.social
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
!! Here’s a link to full video of the 60 Minutes segment that Bari Weiss killed last minute, via @jasonparis.bsky.social:
is.gd/paU8Ko
(It was uploaded to the Global TV app in Canada, seemingly by accident, and has now been taken down)
is.gd/paU8Ko
(It was uploaded to the Global TV app in Canada, seemingly by accident, and has now been taken down)
December 22, 2025 at 10:39 PM
!! Here’s a link to full video of the 60 Minutes segment that Bari Weiss killed last minute, via @jasonparis.bsky.social:
is.gd/paU8Ko
(It was uploaded to the Global TV app in Canada, seemingly by accident, and has now been taken down)
is.gd/paU8Ko
(It was uploaded to the Global TV app in Canada, seemingly by accident, and has now been taken down)
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
“One of Ms. Weiss's suggestions was to include an interview with Stephen Miller…”
“Ms. Weiss also questioned the use of the term ‘migrants’ to describe the Venezuelan men who were deported, noting that they were in the United States illegally…”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/b...
“Ms. Weiss also questioned the use of the term ‘migrants’ to describe the Venezuelan men who were deported, noting that they were in the United States illegally…”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/b...
December 22, 2025 at 3:32 AM
“One of Ms. Weiss's suggestions was to include an interview with Stephen Miller…”
“Ms. Weiss also questioned the use of the term ‘migrants’ to describe the Venezuelan men who were deported, noting that they were in the United States illegally…”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/b...
“Ms. Weiss also questioned the use of the term ‘migrants’ to describe the Venezuelan men who were deported, noting that they were in the United States illegally…”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/b...
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
Read the full email Sharyn Alfonsi sent her team about CBS pulling their segment on the Trump admin’s deportations of Venezuelan migrants
December 22, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Read the full email Sharyn Alfonsi sent her team about CBS pulling their segment on the Trump admin’s deportations of Venezuelan migrants
Precisely this
What's so hilariously stupid about Jain's statement is, if someone takes controversial stands and still manages to win (this isn't moneyball, WAR doesn't matter), that makes them a good politician. They're maximizing the utility of their office, not their electoral success.
when we said “defer electoral strategy to the actual politicians running for actual offices” we meant “after calculating wins above replacement somehow”
December 21, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Precisely this
Utter contempt for wins above replacement as applied to elections in this way
when we said “defer electoral strategy to the actual politicians running for actual offices” we meant “after calculating wins above replacement somehow”
December 20, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Utter contempt for wins above replacement as applied to elections in this way
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
December 20, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
“Literary snob takes issue with Epstein’s reading of Lolita” is an onion headline
I can think of worse things about him than this but OK
December 20, 2025 at 1:53 AM
“Literary snob takes issue with Epstein’s reading of Lolita” is an onion headline
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
A really important point to keep in mind: open.substack.com/pub/musgrave...
Taking America Private
The political-economic consequences of Mr. Trump
open.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 11:43 PM
A really important point to keep in mind: open.substack.com/pub/musgrave...
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
Some of these redactions are almost like modern art
December 19, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Some of these redactions are almost like modern art
Wraith Queen
STEFANIK DROPS OUT: Leaving Congress — and won’t run for Gov
Bulletin from the Times-Union: www.timesunion.com/churchill/ar...
Bulletin from the Times-Union: www.timesunion.com/churchill/ar...
Churchill: Stefanik says she won't run for governor — or Congress
“In a traditionally blue state like New York, you sort of have to have all the stars aligned politically,” Rep. Elise Stefanik said, citing a primary challenge and other concerns.
www.timesunion.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Wraith Queen
I think this gets at it fairly well www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
December 18, 2025 at 3:59 PM
I think this gets at it fairly well www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
Reposted by Paul Blumenthal
By doing so here, the Trump Administration runs smack into the prohibition on Medicare and Medicaid regulating the practice of medicine (as opposed to deciding what they'll pay for). Congress recognized regulating the practice of medicine is a state function, not one for Medicare/Medicaid.
December 18, 2025 at 2:19 PM
By doing so here, the Trump Administration runs smack into the prohibition on Medicare and Medicaid regulating the practice of medicine (as opposed to deciding what they'll pay for). Congress recognized regulating the practice of medicine is a state function, not one for Medicare/Medicaid.
Ah yes the traditional presidential Scream at the Nation address
December 18, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Ah yes the traditional presidential Scream at the Nation address
Resigning to spend more time with his podcast
BREAKING: Dan Bongino confirms he's leaving his position as deputy FBI director in January.
December 17, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Resigning to spend more time with his podcast
If you thought the rationale to invade Iraq was stupid...
December 17, 2025 at 1:23 AM
If you thought the rationale to invade Iraq was stupid...